On August 30th Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, began its annual four-month back up motion in the heavens. This mammoth planet known to astrologers as the King of the Gods, the planet of expansion, optimism and good fortune now bids us to contemplate a course correction. As I mentioned in my recent posting regarding Mercury’s retrograde, when planets enter a retrograde phase,it’s a signal to us to go inside and quiet down to contemplate, re-evaluate what the energy and chart placement means to our evolutionary agenda. This retrograde is in Taurus, so we are directed to consider earthly things such as security and priorities. What is really important to us for our well being? With Jupiter, where have we been over enthusiastic, over optimistic regarding these issues?

Thus, because Jupiter is all about faith and optimism, we can become easily deluded and tricked in the face of reality— if we aren’t careful. Jupiter in our charts reflects the necessity of walking a fine line of balance between having faith in ourselves and optimism in our dreams against reality. When we lose our balance within this framework we can be easily opened up to the shock of disappointment and discouragement. Jupiter’s retrograde highlights which old beliefs and self-imposed benchmarks are no longer useful, may be dragging us down; in other words, they need to be jettisoned. This lesson can be and often is, disheartening. We are ready to throw in the towel when it feels like the wheels are coming off…but there is help on the way!

Dr. Bach’s flower remedy Gentian, is there to help us when we lose our Jupiter balance. As one of Bach’s original ‘Twelve Healers’, the negative Gentian mood state is all about discouragement, self-doubt and perseverance. According to Dr. Bach the purpose of the Gentian remedy is to lead us to an: “ understanding that there is no failure when you are doing your utmost, whatever the apparent result’.

This understanding helps us realize that that steady perseverance is essential to overcoming self-doubt. A vital key to our own soul evolution is to remember that cosmic law dictates trusting the perfect timing of the universe; that the universe provides us with whatever we need for our expansion and growth. When we find change and challenge difficult, Gentian helps us to understand the value of, and engage in, perseverance in the face of adversity and disappointment.

In case you are wondering…in my own birth chart I have Jupiter in my first house of ‘self’ and it is also my chart ruler… which is why I have Gentian in the large economy size on my desk!

Finally, we can take a small breath as Mercury speeds up changing to direct motion…always refreshing! So the question is; on your internal channels what did you think about, reconsider during this retrograde? Did you map out adjustments to your plan, set a course ahead that includes these? If so, forward movement can now prove to be beneficial in the quest, whatever that might be.

On the mundane, how many heart stopping moments did you experience with communication…like hitting ‘send’ before double checking the addresses or deleting the thread of an oh, not so great, conversation about someone?….Or booting up your computer only to be faced with the ‘blue(or worse, black) screen of death’? You can thank Mercury’s retrograde energy meant to make us stop and think!

And now we have a new moon in Virgo exact on Sunday(28th) at approximately 10:04 p.m. CST. Leo’s full moon earlier this month was about our heart centered creativity; now Virgo is telling us to get down to brass tacks in an earthly way and get busy. Service is Virgo’s key goal, but like all of the signs it has its ‘shadow’ which can be hyper criticism, arrogance, over analysis, self-deprecation…take your pick. Virgo can easily ratchet up its shadow in us if we are predisposed to any of these tendencies. Self-deprecation seems to be a favorite that says we are ‘never enough’. I wrote on an earlier post under “Balance” about Dr. Bach’s flower remedy Pine…check it out for Pine is a perfect remedy to help us balance out this particular shadow side of Virgo.

And there is more! This new moon positioning itself in Virgo comes with a packed agenda. Venus, the planet of beauty and love is even closer to the Sun now, joined by the moon…reminding us that our interpretation of self-worth and loving ourselves is very important to our evolutionary soul growth. This new moon is also part of a earth bound Grand Trine to Jupiter(King of the Gods, planet of fortune and expansion), and Pluto(the alchemist, transformer, change).

Grand Trines are easy energy, but they can be deceptive because we can become too complacent with this ease of energy, waiting for things to happen without our input of effort. Virgo says, “get off your comfy sofa and put some elbow grease into your plan.” If you do, this Grand Trine energy can be a great support in letting go of outmoded beliefs and plans to be replaced by more useful ones that you may have ‘thought’ about during the recent Mercury retrograde.

In a chart there are no idle actors; the energy of every planet placement has a purpose on the stage, but it is up to us to participate in the script.

My intent for this blog is to offer postings on a variety of subjects(as I learn to navigate the technical side of blogging!) that interest me, and I hope you as well as this site grows over time. For now I invite you to take a peek into the arena of ‘horoscope musings’ as July ends with a powerful new moon in Leo and August begins with Mercury in retrograde!

New moons always herald in new beginnings in some fashion for each of us both individually and for the planet as a whole. This new moon which was exact at 1:40 p.m. CST on the 30th, is no exception. It signals a new cycle and level of creative drive mixed with perhaps a bit of drama which the sign of the lion is known for.

This drive is further emphasized as Venus, the planet of love and beauty cozies up to the sun/moon conjunction at 3 ° pushing us to be creative in a new way, to play, experiment and enjoy. How do we know how creative we can be unless we jump in with no expectations?

New Moons affect all signs but those with the strong influence of Leo or the 5th house in their charts will particularly feel the message of this moon in their hearts. And, we can plan on feeling these effects for approximately 4 days after the exact conjunction.

But of course it is never enough…Mercury, that mighty little planet, whom the ancients viewed as messenger of the Gods, zooms around its orbit faster than any other planet in the zodiac. Mercury is all about language and transmission of information.

Ratcheting up at the end of July, on August 2nd, this planetwill shift into ‘retrograde’ motion appearing to move backwards in the heavens until August 26th. While the point of working with the energy of a Mercury retrograde is to go inside ourselves to connect more deeply with our own inner communication, in the ‘outside’ world it can wreak havoc with all forms of communication. Ever wonder why voice mails, emails suddenly seem to get dropped during a particular time frame, conversations get bungled or misinterpreted…or electronics that have to do with transmission seem to go on the fritz, particularly computers? You can blame it on ‘Mercury retrograde’. The real point however, is for us to slow down, give our central nervous systems a rest and quiet down. A rest…now this sounds wonderful ….but.

Mercury rules both Gemini and Virgo. For those of us who have these two signs significantly appearing in our birth charts or powerful aspects to Mercury…be prepared. I know well of what I speak…make sure that EVERYTHING is backed up in your computer at all times….if you must sign any type of contract, make sure you read the fine print carefully…and as far as social or business appointments? Reconfirm, reconfirm, reconfirm!